Quote:
Originally Posted by ripp222
Your BMW Dealer should offer you the offical USB/Audio retrofit kit (option 6FL) as long as BMW NA offically supports it. Many retrofit kits are released for other markets but are not supported in the USA. The instructions would tell you how to add the hardware (MULF, USB hub and center console USB port) and which retrofit path the Dealer would chose using their programing software (ISTA/P). Sometimes you can convience the part counter person to print you the retrofit instructions.
http://www.xoutpost.com/electronics/...ption-6fl.html
Another option would be to replace your existing TCU (Telematic Control Unit) with a Combox, as this hardware has the fuctionality of the MULF and USB hub built in and supports streaming audio over Bluetooth. You would have the same feature set of a MY2012, though BMW will not support this (no BMW Assist activation) and you are left to have someone custom code your vehicle. The other danger here is if you install a Combox and later take the X5 to BMW, they may refuse to do any programing until a TCU is re-installed.
I plan to try this path in the next month myself. |
Thanks for your feedback. I have tried a few local BMW dealerships to see what they might be able to help with and the common theme with them is a striking unwillingness to offer any sort of creative solution. If there isn't a tried and true path that they can look up in their systems, enter a work order number and easily bill me for they don't want to sign onto anything. I understand not wanting to put your neck out there but I try to articulately explain my position and willingness to experiment, within a certain realistic budget, but have not gotten very far. My last effort to purchase online and install myself the BMW iPod Adapter (BMW IPod Interface Adapter - for vehicles without CD or DVD Changer 65110439429) and have BMW reprogram the system to recognize the new hardware did not seem to go too far and was told the reprogramming was done by BMW, not the dealership. They hook the car up to computers and let BMW reprogram the car remotely. They said sometimes it works right away and other times it can take all day. I would like to know if I could take the car to another garage that handles import cars and see if they could do this re-programing without having to custom code anything or make it so that BMW would no longer support the vehicle since the software was altered outside of their control.
Seems like a much larger headache that I wanted to deal with and suppose I can deal with the analog cable option for now unless I find a more willing dealership.